Two mares are currently battling for favouritism in 2017 Golden Pendant betting for this weekend with Bonny O’Reilly the early market mover closing in on the Chris Waller-trained top fancy Omei Sword.
Omei Sword is favourite in 2017 Golden Pendant betting despite two unplaced runs this campaign. Photo: Steve Hart.
Eleven mares remain in the field for this year’s Group 2 $400,000 Golden Pendant (1400m) including Waller’s four-year-old daughter of High Chaparral.
She was runner-up in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) on this day at Rosehill Gardens last Sydney Spring Racing Carnival and has remained lightly-raced since due to a number of setbacks.
This campaign has seen her run fifth in the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) and sixth last time out when just over three lengths beaten by the favourite Ravi in the Group 3 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) on September 9.
Looking on the improve, Omei Sword now gets the rails run from barrier one after the scratching of Euro Angel (1) and Hugh Bowman retains the ride as Waller’s mare gets a final chance to retain the love of the punters.
She currently pays $4.40 in the latest Golden Pendant odds at Ladbrokes.com.au but is followed closely by Bonny O’Reilly ($4.80) who has been backed in steadily by the punters.
Drawn one on the outside of Omei Sword, the Bjorn Baker-trained daughter of O’Reilly looks like she’ll get a lovely run in the Golden Pendant as she looks to improve on her last start fifth from out wide (12 of 13) in the Sheraco Stakes.
That race could prove the form line to follow into Saturday’s more lucrative feature and remains the only time Bonny O’Reilly has been beaten from five starts at the Rosehill track.
Having done so much work from the wide gate last time out to fade late, the early Golden Pendant market mover shapes up as a far better chance on the weekend with the better barrier to aid her chances.
In an open affair there are a further three mares at single-figures to win including Daysee Doom ($5) drawn wide for trainer Ron Quinton.
Apprentice Andrew Adkins is back in the saddle of the five-year-old daughter of Domesday continuing his nice association with the classy mare.
She is an ultra-consistent galloper who boasts a host of good Group placings and was only a length off the winner Heavens Above when fourth in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) during the autumn here.
She won the Group 3 Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Scone narrowly in the winter and returned with an eye-catching third in the Sheraco Stakes that she is out to go two better than second-up and fitter for the run.
It is up to Adkins to give Daysee Doom the right run from the wide alley and he positions the mare in the race will be key to their winning chances as well as those of the others in the field.
Rounding out the top half of the markets are the other Quinton-trained hopeful Dixie Blossoms ($7) who comes off a fourth in the Theo Marks Stakes and the Kris Lees-trained Danish Twist ($7.50).
Check out the latest Golden Pendant 2017 odds below, pricing open now at Ladbrokes.com.au.
